Since as far back as I can remember, my family has had the tradition of baking cookies for Christmas. We would make various types of sweet treats, pile them high on plates and trays, wrap them in cellophane and give them as gifts to neighbors and friends.
It was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. My mom, dad, sister and I would gather in the kitchen, cozy from the warmth of the oven, and work together to create these delicious homemade gifts. My dad would measure, I would mix, my sister would decorate and my mom, of course, would delegate and supervise. 😉
Now that we're older, living in separate states and leading our busy lives, I miss those times I spent with my family, right before the bustle of the holidays when time slowed down and we laughed and played in the kitchen with flour in our hair and love in our hearts.
But, even though we can't be together each Christmas, I still try to keep the tradition alive by baking a variety of cookies every year that I still give as gifts to family and friends. Some I make every Christmas out of tradition and the rest I try to change from year-to-year.
This year, I made seven different kinds of cookies (including one bark). I baked them all one weekend, then had nightmares that I didn't make enough, so made a few more batches the next weekend. Needless to say, I DEFINITELY had enough. The second weekend of baking was completely unnecessary. But I'll take a few extra dozen leftover cookies for peace of mind.
When you're as close to your family as I am, it's tough when you can't see them as often as you like. And the feelings grow even stronger during the holidays. However, whenever I bake my Christmas treats, a part of me is back home again, in that warm, cozy kitchen with the people I love.
NOTE: Recipes below have been doubled. So if you want to make a smaller batch, I suggest cutting the recipe in half.
Italian Ball Cookies
2 cups margarine
2 cups sugar
2 cups orange juice
8 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
10 tsp baking powder
2 tsp orange extract
12 cups flour
1.)
Cream margarine, sugar and orange juice together
2.)
Add eggs, baking soda, baking powder, orange extract and flour to mixture
3.)
Shape into balls
4.)
Bake at 400 degrees for ~12 minutes
Icing
2 boxes confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp lemon extract
Warm water to consistency
Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 pkgs vanilla pudding mix
2 cups butter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
4 cups (2 12oz pkgs) semisweet chocolate chips
1.)
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
2.)
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
3.)
BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/3 cups butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups old fashioned oats
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 (5oz pkgs) dried cranberries
1 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1.)
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2.)
Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and chocolate chunks.
3.)
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
Christmas Cookie Bark
28 oreos, broken up (Christmas ones if possible)
3 cups pretzels, broken (long skinny ones)
2 cups Christmas colored m&ms
2 lbs white chocolate bark
Christmas colored sprinkles
1.)
First, line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Mix on the sheet the Oreos, pretzels and 3/4 cup of the M&M's.
2.)
Melt the chocolate or bark in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 minutes, stir, and continue melting in microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the candy mixture and top with extra M&M's and sprinkles. Allow to dry at room temperature or in the refrigerator until hardened.
3.)
Break into chunks.
Brown Butter Ginger Cookies with Mascarpone Cream
2 ¼ cups butter, browned*
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs
¾ cups molasses
6 cups flour
6 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp nutmeg
1 ½ tsp salt
1.)
*To brown the butter simply melt in a sauce pan. Let the bubble come to a boil. The milk solids will foam up and as they do watch for them to turn golden. If you have a dark pan you will need to swirl the butter carefully and maybe spoon some on to a white plate to notice the color. You will notice a gently nutty smell wafting from the pan as the solids in the butter start to caramelize. As soon as you see deep golden bits at the bottom of the pan turn off the heat. The butter will continue to brown even as the heat is off so do not let the butter get too dark. Let the butter cool slightly before proceeding with the recipe.
2.)
Combine the just warm browned butter with the sugar in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the egg and molasses and mix well.
3.)
Whisk together the remaining ingredients in another bowl then add to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir until just combined.
4.)
Use a spoon to scoop tablespoon size balls of dough. Roll the dough in your hands to form and ball then roll in sugar (I prefer Organic sugar for many reasons, one of which being the granules are bigger and more pronounced on the cookie).
5.)
Place on a baking sheet (12 per sheet) and bake at 350*F for 10-12 minutes until puffed and set. If you prefer flatter cookies to the ones you see in my images you can gently press them down before baking.
Honey Mascarpone Cream
24 oz mascarpone
3-6 tbsp honey
Combine everything in a bowl. Start with 3 tablespoons honey then add more if you’d like.
Lemon-Pistachio Wreath Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
10 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 cups shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
1.)
Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
2.)
Preheat oven to 350. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a generous 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round fluted cutter, cut out wreaths. Reroll scraps, and cut out. Cut out centers of wreaths using a 7/8-inch round cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake until just golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks.
3.)
Stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Dip surface of each cookie in icing, and sprinkle with pistachios. Let set on wire racks.
Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies
1 ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking soda
3/8 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons milk
3 9oz bags Toll House® Delightfulls caramel filled baking chips
coarse sea salt
1.)
In a large bowl cream together butter and sugars at a medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
2.)
In a separate medium size bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3.)
Slowly add the flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir in the milk, then fold in the baking chips.
4.)
Chill for at least 1-2 hours.
5.)
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
6.)
Drop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet in 2 Tbsp sized drops. Sprinkle each with sea salt then bake for 12-13 minutes.
7.)
Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
